While not particularly quick by today’s standards, the Rocket 88 was a strong performance car when it came out in 1949, paving the way for the muscle car era in later years. The Pick of the Day is a 1950 Oldsmobile Rocket 88 hardtop listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Florence, Montana.
One of the keys to the 88’s success in stock car and NASCAR racing was its 303ci OHV Rocket V8 engine, giving the car the ability to accelerate to 60 miles per hour in about 12 seconds. Nowadays, cars can get up to that speed in a fraction of that time (check out the 2026 Corvette ZR1X, which does it in 1.68 seconds).
While no longer powered by its original 303, this 88 packs even more punch. The powertrain has been upgraded to a 455ci Oldsmobile V8 with a TH350 three-speed automatic transmission. Maintenance history includes replacement of the radiator, Edelbrock intake, and dual exhaust system. As icing on the cake, the engine bay has been dressed up with generous chrome accents, adding a show-car element to the build. The seller says the front end has received $3,500 in work, including a new steering box.
Cosmetically, the car is equally solid. “Beautiful restored Oldsmobile Rocket 88 Futuramic Holiday hardtop,” the listing begins. The exterior has been redone in the original two-tone blue and black color scheme; exterior features include chrome brightwork, a hood ornament, a driver-side mirror, and a set of modern American Racing alloy wheels with new tires (the stock wire hubcaps are included with the sale).
The interior was redone in a factory-style theme with two-tone black and white upholstery for the bench seats. Of particular interest is the steering wheel, which contains a unique planet-themed center design. At first glance, it looks like Saturn, but digging a little deeper shows that it was designed to represent Earth. The ring around it is said to be made by the rocket contrails surrounding it — a pretty neat feature for a car from the ’50s.
It’s no wonder the Rocket was such a celebrated car of the era. One of the magazine ads for it said, “Make a date with a Rocket 8!” It went on to say, “Only in Oldsmobile will you find Futuramic beauty and glamour to match the Rocket’s flashing performance.”
“Flashing performance” is indeed in plentiful supply, especially with a later-model 455ci V8 under the hood!
The asking price for this vintage hardtop is $31,000 or best offer.
Click here to view this Pick of the Day on ClassicCars.com
